Catching Mr Ripper

September 17th Morning

Elizabeth walked into the police station, her new wedding band, sat proudly on her finger, but she felt anything but proud about her new marital status.
"Good morning Commissioner" Elizabeth smiled as she entered his office.
"Good morning Miss Vance or shall I call you Mrs Wright?" He smiled.
"Elizabeth is fine" she smiled awkwardly.
"What can I help you with?" He asked, sensing that she was holding something back.
"I wanted to enquire about Edmund. He didn't come yesterday as you know"
"Why couldn't the two of you ever make it work?" Commissioner Warren asked, studying her face.
"He's not mine. I don't think he ever was. I still remember all the times we shared together. How he made me smile. How he made me feel like the only other person alive other than him. He knew that I was different from other women, he didn't shy away from it or scold me. He made me feel like being imperfect was beautiful" she smiled.
"Only you are imperfectly beautiful. At least only you are to me" came Edmund's voice from the doorway, sending their heads turning towards him.
"But I was never quite enough for you" Edmund dropped his head and opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off "If I was enough for you then you wouldn't have feared my father. As long as you made me happy, he would've come around to the idea of us, because your a good man who works hard to be where he is. Love doesn't just stop because it gets hard for one person. Love doesn't fade. The ache can only dull" she muttered loudly, her heart aching as he avoided her gaze "It's too late now. I'm already married" she muttered. Elizabeth moved to leave the office but Edmund caught her by the arm, forcing their eyes to meet.
"Please give us a moment Commissioner" Edmund asked, not taking his eyes off Elizabeth. Commissioner Warren got up and left the room hesitantly, closing the door behind him, standing in front of it.
Edmund released her arm and turned away from her, placing some distance between them as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"Edmund. I'm a married woman-" Elizabeth cut herself off as Edmund turned to face her with tears in his eyes.
"The thought of a man- any man having you angers me to the point I plan murder" he gritted out "The thought of you letting him touch you- the thought of you and him- it kills me" he groaned out. Elizabeth stood there, frozen at his words, unsure of what to say or do. Edmund took her silence as his queue to leave but Elizabeth's words caught him completely off guard.
"I didn't let him touch me" she whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
"What did you say?"
"I didn't let him touch me. We didn't consummate our marriage, I couldn't let him touch me like that, I couldn't let him touch me like you do" she admitted, she avoided his gaze before speaking again "I was too scared I would call out your name" Elizabeth felt herself crumbling, so she swept out of the room, without another word.
Edmund left the office, ignoring the commissioner and everyone's glances. The commissioner quickly followed him into his office, shutting the door behind them.
"I don't need a lecture about her" Edmund said through gritted teeth.
"Clearly you do. We're trying to catch a murderer and you got scared of being with the woman you love-" Edmund stood from his chair in anger.
"I went there! I stood outside of that church! I tired. But I couldn't do that to her. I couldn't be responsible for a poor life and a bad relationship with her father, I love her too much to do that to her!" He yelled angrily, running a hand through his hair.
"I've seen the two of you together. You love each other and nothing can get in the way of that, the two of you need to realize that nothing else matters but the two of you because I'm sick of hearing this will they won't they monologue" Commissioner Warren sighed as Edmund dropped himself back into his chair "Your a good man Edmund, better than most. Sometimes you need to break a rule in order for others to realize that it was a useless rule in the first place" Commissioner Warren told him wisely before leaving the room.